Sixth Form Weekly Newsletter | Autumn Term, Week 2| Date: 16 September 2022

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A week
All Day
From 19 Sep until 23 Sep
19
September
BANK HOLIDAY
All Day
19
September
Y11 Food Tech Mock Practical Exam
8:40am – 11:10am
21
September
Year 11 Information Evening
4:45pm – 6:15pm
21
September
Y11 Food Tech Mock Practical Exam
8:40am – 11:10am
22
September

COVID GUIDANCE

 

If you have symptoms of Covid-19 or you have tested positive for Covid-19, you should stay at home and avoid contact with other people.

Symptoms of Covid-19 can include:

  • a high temperature or shivering 
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
  • shortness of breath
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • an aching body
  • a headache
  • a sore throat
  • a blocked or runny nose
  • loss of appetite
  • diarrhoea
  • feeling sick or being sick

Students under 18 years old who test positive or have symptoms should stay at home for 3 full days. The day you first have symptoms or have a positive test result is Day 0. You may return to school on Day 4 provided you do not have a temperature and feel well enough. 

Full government guidance is available here.

We will continue to support the personal choice of students and staff in wearing a face covering. We will also continue to ensure good levels of hygiene and ventilation for everyone here at school, and will maintain appropriate cleaning regimes.

If you have questions regarding official guidance please call 119 for visit the NHS website.

If a student is unwell, regardless of whether Covid-19 is suspected, they should stay away from school and the absence should be reported via our online absence form.

REPORTING STUDENT ABSENCE

 

We have an online absence reporting form for all absences (whole day or part of the day). If you are unable to use the form you will need to email absence@hgs.herts.sch.uk with the student's name and tutor group, reason for absence and expected return date (if known). 

WEEKLY MENU 

 

[Every Day - Pasta / Jacket Potatoes & Toppings, Panini of the Day]

** MENU SUBJECT TO CHANGE **

Monday: BANK HOLIDAY

Tuesday: SHEPHERD'S PIE (gf), PASTA BAKE (v), CHEESE QUICHE (v) CHOCOLATE & BANANA SPONGE

Wednesday: CHICKEN KORMA (gf), LEEK & MUSHROOM PASTA (v), CHEESEBURGERS, APPLE CRUNCH (free from wheat, eggs, milk)

Thursday: SAUSAGE HOTPOT (gf), VEGETABLE LASAGNE (v), CHEESEY POTATO & ONION YORKSHIRES (v), LEMON SPONGE

Friday: PASTA BOLOGNAISE, QUORN IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE (v), FISHCAKES, CHOCOLATE SCRUMMY

(v) = Vegetarian (gf) = Gluten Free

SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS


School closed on Monday 19 September

A reminder that school will be closed on Monday for the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 


Message from the Headteacher

Good afternoon and welcome to this week’s edition of the newsletter.

It has been an exciting and busy time in school this week with after-school events, House assemblies, extracurricular activities starting and Year 7s experiencing their full timetable of regular lessons.  

Mrs Hone collected feedback from the Year 7s on how they had found their induction week, with one question asking them to sum up their week in three words - it seems that most Year 7s finished the week feeling excited, happy and certainly quite tired! 

Monday and Wednesday evenings saw us welcome Year 12 and Year 10 parents, carers and students into school for their information evenings. It was wonderful to have our beautiful Main Hall filled with families again and I’m very much looking forward to having more frequent opportunities for us to come together as a community.  

This week our new Heads of House held the first House assemblies of the year. I was able to visit a number of them and was very much impressed to see students from across the years presenting their nominations for the House charities with such confidence and passion.  

A long weekend lies ahead with the Queen’s state funeral on Monday  - I'm sure this will be a time of refection for many and I wish you all well.

James Crowther

Some of the Y7 feedback when asked to describe their first week in three words

Help needed!

We would love to hear from professionals / employers who would be happy to have a stand at our forthcoming careers fair for our students. If you can help by representing your career and talking to our students about your business or sector, please provide details via the form sent out to all parents/carers. Thank you in advance for your help!


Award winners

Congratulations are due to two of our Sixth Form students for their outstanding achievements this week. Phoenix in Year 13 had her Physics essay chosen as a winning entry for a competition run by Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge. The question she answered in her essay was "How will quantum technology have changed our world by 2100?". 

Meanwhile Yasmin, also in Year 13, won an award called Game Changer through the Hertfordshire Cricket ECB. She was nominated by Hitchin Cricket Club, and she was invited to Lords to receive her award this week. The prize included watching Middlesex play Glamorgan! 

            


Hertfordshire bus travel information

With the start of a new academic year, some helpful bus travel information for students and their families is available at https://www.intalink.org.uk/.

In particular Hertfordshire SaverCard, for ages 11 to 25, allows single and return bus tickets to be purchased at 50% of the regular adult fares, for travel at all times on all local bus services. More info can be found at https://www.intalink.org.uk/hertfordshire-savercard


Library news 

Welcome back to the Library!

Everyone is welcome in the Library. You can browse and borrow books, read magazines, newspapers and journals, and use the computers. At lunchtime there's a games table where you can play chess, hangman, Bananagrams and lots of other games.

On Wednesday lunchtime the Reading Group meets behind the Enquiries desk, and there's a Homework Club every day after school where you can read, work or use the computers until 4.30pm.

You can return books in the Library or drop them in the Returns boxes in the main school reception and at Woodside. We look forward to seeing you all this term.


Fundraiser for HGS Scouts

Three of our students have been selected to attend the 2023 World Scout Jamboree in Korea, representing Hitchin and the UK, and are organising a fundraising event for this. Please support them if you can!

 


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NOTICEBOARD


Wednesday 21 September, 10am
James Betts, Viridor
Field of Expertise: Rotating Equipment - Turbines, Pumps, Fans, etc.

The Power of Steam
Steam turbines produce approximately 70% of the world's power, and are used in submarines, ships, industrial processes and most power stations and oil refineries all over the world. 

REGISTRATION

Thursday 22 September, 11.30am
Tim Newbold, University College London
Field of Expertise: Biodiversity

How and Why is Biodiversity Changing?
Which areas of the world are seeing the most changes, and why it matters for human societies. 

REGISTRATION

Friday 23 September, 9.30am
Paul Remblance, Milestone Infrastructure Ltd
Field of Expertise: Civil Engineering Construction

A presentation looking at the opportunities in the civil engineering profession that will address the range of schemes and routes to qualification. 

REGISTRATION




Digdata are thrilled to announce their upcoming live virtual work experience and live online career panels for the Autumn term with Experian and Lloyds Banking Group.

Sessions are aimed at First Step (KS3) students and Next Step (KS4 & 5) students.

Wednesday 28 September, 4.30 - Experian "First Step" live online career challenge - How can you help Playstation market their new game?

Wednesday 5 October, 5.00 - Experian "Next Step" live online career challenge - How can you help Alton Towers get more visitors to their theme park in 2023?

Thursday 6 October,  6.30 - Experian live online career panel - We invite students, parents, teachers and career leaders to discover more about their career opportunities in data!

Wednesday 19 October, 4.30 - Lloyds Banking Group "First Step" live online career challenge - Can you help Lloyds Bank decide who can borrow £1,200 to buy the new iPhone 14?

Wednesday 2 November, 5.00 - Lloyds Banking Group "Next Step" live online career challenge - Can you assess our customers’ financial situation and make some recommendations on how different groups of customers should approach their upcoming purchases?

Thursday 3 November, 6.30 - Lloyds Banking Group live online career panel - We invite students, parents, teachers and career leaders to discover more about their career opportunities in data!



About Skills Gap

Skills Gap is a career accelerator that runs insightful workshops for young people aged 15-19 ­– because it’s never too soon to think about building your skills for a competitive edge in your future studies and career.

We're offering a range of intensive workshops this autumn, all designed specifically for 15-19 year olds and delivered to small groups by experienced industry experts:

Careers in Hacking
Saturday 1 October

Top-flight businesses and governments the world over are recruiting for a new elite force: a band of ethical hackers charged with protecting our most sensitive information and the infrastructure that powers our everyday living. Our online workshop is taught by Daniel Wilkinson, a Security Consultant at NCC Group. He gives a beginner’s guide to ethical hacking and the skills you’ll need to succeed, with practical experience of hacking your way into a vulnerable online storefront.

AI in Astrophysics
Saturday 8 October

With new telescopes powerful enough to see galaxies formed in the wake of the big bang, our online workshop introduces the AI helping scientists to interpret this data to identify stars and plot the shape of the universe. Taught by Joe Sims, an AI PhD student at Leeds University, you’ll step into the inspiring world of AI in astrophysics and get first-hand experience of using a neural network to classify stars.

AI in Medicine
Saturday 8 October

Medicine is on the verge of an Artificial Intelligence revolution – from pioneering surgeries to algorithms that predict future health issues. Our workshop is delivered online by med-tech experts, and will introduce you to key AI trends in medicine, its influence on global healthcare, and the tech skills you need to get ahead. You’ll also take part in an exciting hands-on diagnostic exercise using AI modelling tools.

Blockchain & Cyrptocurrencies
Saturday 15 October

Blockchain is revolutionary. It powers the cryptocurrencies that are changing the face of finance and offers safer ways to store sensitive data. But what’s next? Our online workshop, delivered by a blockchain expert, provides a fascinating insight into the world of cryptocurrencies, how they are analysed and traded, and blockchain’s ongoing potential. During the workshop you will get first-hand experience of coding in Python to build a systematic trading strategy for cryptocurrencies.

Coding for Game Design
Saturday 22 October

With one third of the world’s population already estimated to be gamers, the gaming industry offers one of the hottest career tickets today. Our online workshop gives you a unique insight into the latest trends from multiplayer games to game streaming. Led by Josh Hills, a programmer on some of the world’s largest multi-player games, including Runescape and Horizon, you’ll get first-hand experience of developing and enhancing a physics-based game prototype and discover the skills you’ll need to succeed.

AI in Engineering
Saturday 5 November

Finding new and optimal ways of doing things is at the very core of engineering. Which makes it the perfect partner for AI and machine learning, from smart production lines to image processing technology that allows machines to see. Our online workshop is led by civil engineer and data scientist, Johan Hagstrom, who will introduce you to key AI algorithms and trends. You’ll also get hands-on experience with Python, being guided through a computer vision algorithm that can detect cars on the road – a peek into the world of self-driving vehicles.

AI in Finance
Saturday 12 November

The world of finance has been an early adopter of machine learning, from fraud detection to finance chat bots, yet it’s still just touching the surface of AI’s potential. Our workshop is led by Chelsea Murray, a data scientist at ING with a Masters in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence from University of Cambridge. Chelsea will introduce you to the vast range of financial AI applications and give you practical experience training a machine learning algorithm to predict credit card fraud.



NHS Allied Healthcare Work Experience

For students interested in

  • Nursing
  • Midwifery
  • Paramedicine
  • Physiotherapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Dietetics
  • Radiography
  • Prosthetics and Orthotics
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Pharmacy

Applications are now open and will remain open throughout this academic year, with the first programme taking place on 2 October.

During the work experience day, students will follow two patients from their initial presentation to recovery. Students will observe the healthcare professionals as they interact with the patients and with each other. They will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain knowledge through teaching.

This will help students to make an informed decision about their career and give them the opportunity to learn how healthcare professionals work together as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Each work experience day is completely different and students will be able to build up their knowledge of NHS careers as they see different patient cases and healthcare professionals work in a variety of settings, such as in a hospital and in the community.

Students will also receive certificates as evidence of participation. Those who complete the entire five-month programme will be awarded a Highly Commended Reference from the Presidents of Medic Mentor.

 Places are £10 a day to cover administrative costs and run the tech on the day. 

Find out more and register